


I Can't Be Your Hero, Baby

by orphan_account



Series: Prompts [11]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Ian has a hero complex, M/M, Poor Mickey, amused!Ian, and also mickey's arms are mentioned, cos yesss, just the fact that hes tiny, little mickey makes an appearance, manipulative!lip, not child him, pranked!mickey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-15 00:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8035225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Prompt: Ian helps out a young gay boy getting bullied, not knowing he's opened a Pandora's box as said boy gets more and more attached to him. Ian's hero complex got suppressed, according to Lip, ever the master of bad relationship advice, because Mickey is too much of a tough guy. Reluctantly, Mickey tries to be "softer, gayer, weaker" as Lip suggested, like asking Ian to carry him, help him open a jar etc. I just really want to see Mickey getting pranked and a confused but amused Ian ;)





	I Can't Be Your Hero, Baby

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to carriecaffrey on Tumblr for sending me this prompt! It was so funny haha

When Yev came home with his friend, Harrison, who was being bullied at school for being gay, Ian knew what to do. The kid had no idea how to defend himself in a fight, and, in the Southside, trying to go to a teacher or ignoring the bully was a stupid lesson. It would do nothing but make the kid grow up to be a snitch or be killed. So Ian decided to help the kid, and Yev, learn how to defend themselves.   
  
    After the fight lesson, Yev told Ian how much Harrison kept asking about him. Yev, a thirteen year old with no idea of why his friend gave a shit about his dad, just told him that Ian was fine and tried to change the topic of conversation. Ian told him that that was probably a good idea, already deciding that the kid was probably getting too attached. Every time he came over now, he just followed Ian around, asking questions, and Yev was getting annoyed.   
  
    Ian had no idea what to do and talked to his family about it at a family dinner night when Yev was with Svetlana. ‘I didn’t mean to get the kid so attached to me. I don’t know what to do, but Yev’s getting mad every time the kid so much as looks at me and he’s kind of getting annoyed at me too. I think he thinks I’m somehow encouraging it?’ Ian sighed, rubbing at his face in frustration. ‘I don’t fucking know.’   
  
    Meanwhile, Mickey just snorted. ‘I don’t know why you always get these lost puppies wandering after you, Gallagher. I mean, it hasn’t happened for years now, but you always gotta help some fuckin’ idiot and they end up following you around, begging for attention.’   
  
    Ian gave him a flat look in response. ‘Yeah, thanks for the help, Mick.’   
  
    ‘Ian, maybe you should talk to the kid’s parents,’ Debbie suggested. ‘He probably has a crush on you, and the parents should know about that. Don’t want them to think anything bad.’   
  
    Ian nodded. ‘Thanks, Debs. That’s a good idea.’   
  
    Next thing Ian knew, he was halfway through his meal, and Mickey and Lip were both heading out for a cigarette break _together_. They were getting along better now than when they were all teenagers, but it was still rare to see them willingly be alone. Ian just shrugged to himself, figuring maybe his brother and Mickey becoming friends was a good thing.   
  
*  
  
‘Wanna explain to me why you were waving me to come outside now, dipshit?’ Mickey asked, lighting his cigarette and taking a drag.   
  
    ‘Wanted to explain the whole Ian and the lost puppies thing without Ian there,’ Lip explained. ‘He might get offended or some shit.’   
  
    ‘You realise I was joking, right? I really don’t fuckin’ care,’ Mickey said on an exhale of smoke.   
  
    Lip rolled his eyes. ‘You probably should know this, because we don’t want him getting into old habits.’ When Mickey arched his eyebrows for him to continue, Lip said, ‘Well, Ian has that whole hero complex, which you probably know.’   
  
    Mickey snorted in agreement. ‘Fuck yes.’   
  
    ‘Well, ever since he’s been with you, it’s been suppressed…You’re such a tough guy — not so soft, weak…well, let’s face it, _gay_ —; he doesn’t feel the need to be a hero to you.’   
  
    ‘What the fuck are you sayin’, _Phillip_?’ Mickey snapped. ‘I’m not fuckin’… _forcing_ your brother to stop being all heroic and shit.’   
  
    Lip huffed in frustration. ‘Shit, man, I’m not blaming you. All I’m saying is that he doesn’t need to be a hero, and we want him to stay that way. Make him not be in situations like this. This is how you get little lost puppies following him around and…sooner or later, one of them will be his age and better than you. You don’t want that, do you?’   
  
    Mickey paled at the thought before scoffing, ‘Look, I’m not fuckin’ worried. Besides, me being a tough guy or whatever clearly hasn’t forced that hero complex out of his head, so…’   
  
    Lip pursed his lips before shrugging and patting Mickey’s shoulder. As he headed inside, he said over his shoulder, ‘Maybe he needs an outlet.’   
  
*  
  
Mickey tried with all his might to not let Lip’s words get to him, but it was inevitable. Even he knew that. The two nights after that were filled with nightmares of Ian running away with some doe-eyed waif in need of protection, and it was driving him crazy.   
  
    He knew he had to make a change.   
  
*  
  
Ian was confused. Mickey had been acting different lately. He knew that Mickey had been annoyed at the whole Harrison situation, but that was over now, so why was Mickey still acting weird? It wasn’t anything big, just small things.   
  
    He was always asking for help with everything. It started off with asking him to open a jar for him, then move something heavy for him, both of which were ridiculous because have you _seen_ Mickey’s arms? Ian has been closed to them before and definitely knew he didn’t need any help with strength-required activities.   
  
    Then he once stubbed his toe on the edge of the couch when they were heading to bed and swore, jumping up and down.   
  
    When Ian jokingly asked, ‘Want me to carry you to bed, sweetheart?’ He had expected a “fuck off”. What he did not expect, however, was what Mickey said in response.   
  
    ‘Yes, please.’ His blue eyes were wide and he looked like a damsel in distress or something all of a sudden.   
  
    To be honest, Ian found that hilarious, but instead of laughing, he just picked Mickey up like a princess and carried him to their bed. He was further confused and amused when Mickey caressed the back of his neck as he did so.   
  
    It was nice to be needed sometimes, yeah. Being needed had always been something Ian craved, but not in this way and not with Mickey. He enjoyed being needed by Yev or Liam when they were toddlers and wanted to be picked up, he enjoyed being depended on by Fiona, and he enjoyed giving Lip advice on how to be less of an asshole (even if said asshole thought he didn’t need the advice). He enjoyed being needed by Mickey in small ways, like for comfort from a nightmare or just for company so he didn’t feel alone.   
  
    However, he always liked that they didn’t depend on each other for every little thing. Mickey didn’t really need Ian, and he liked that. It made those smaller moments into something more; it meant that Mickey _wanted_ him more than _needed_ him.   
  
    Thinking about his family and Mickey, that’s when he realised it. He knew why Mickey was acting this way ever since the family night. Fucking Lip was at it again.   
  
*  
  
‘What the fuck did you do to my husband?’ Ian snapped as he barged into Lip’s apartment.   
  
    It was a good thing he had a key. How else would he show up unannounced to purposefully inconvenience his older brother?   
  
    Lip just jumped up from the couch in shock, but when he registered Ian and the words he spoke, he grinned smugly. ‘What happened?’   
  
    ‘Fuck off, what happened.’ Ian shoved him back onto the couch and sat down beside him. ‘You told Mickey to act…weird. I want to know what you said.’   
  
    ‘I’ll make you a deal,’ Lip began, a smirk on his face. ‘You tell me what he’s done, for my own amusement of course, and then I’ll tell you what I said so you can fix him.’   
  
    Ian sighed. ‘Fine, but you’ve really gotta stop fucking with my relationship. One day Mick’ll kill you…or I will…I’m getting sick of this shit, Lip. Get a hobby, would you?’   
  
    Lip shrugged. ‘I already tried making those little ships in bottles and putting together jigsaw puzzles. Turns out nothing’s as good as messing with Mickey. Now, what did he do?’   
  
    Ian rolled his eyes at Lip’s eagerness and said, ‘Nah, fuck you. I’ll just ask Mickey myself.’   
  
    Lip complained the whole way out, but Ian just ignored him and headed back home. He wasn’t giving that dickhead the satisfaction.   
  
*  
  
Ian wasn’t sure how to bring it up exactly, but when Mickey once again got him to lift something and then awkwardly said, ‘My big, strong man,’ Ian knew the time had come to say something.   
  
    ‘Jesus Christ,’ Ian sighed. ‘Mick, we gotta talk.’   
  
    Mickey frowned. ‘About what?’   
  
    ‘Look, not that I don’t like helping you out every now and then, I know you’re acting like you need all this help all the time. You don’t need me to lift things for you, man, c’mon.’   
  
    Mickey opened his mouth, clearly to retort, but then just awkwardly looked to the ground, shuffling his feet. ‘I don’t know what to tell you.’   
  
    Ian lifted his chin so he looked him in the eye. ‘What the fuck did Lip say to you?’   
  
    Mickey scrunched up his face in annoyance. ‘It’s not because of that fuckhead!’   
  
    Ian gave him a deadpan look.   
  
    Mickey sighed. ‘Okay, fuckin’ _fine_. He said that this hero complex thing would need to be fed, pretty much, and he implied that if you weren’t getting it from me…you’d get it from someone better sooner or later.’   
  
    Ian rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. ‘Okay, for one. Never listen to Lip again. He’s an idiot and alone. How can he give relationship advice? Two, I like that you don’t need me for everything. You’re independent, and I like that. Do I like to be a hero sometimes? Sure. But not in our relationship. I can’t be in a relationship with someone and be their hero. That’s _way_ too much pressure. I don’t want to be the one to save you, Mick. You’ve gotta save yourself, and I’ve just gotta be here to help.’   
  
    Mickey snorted, rolling his eyes. ‘Cheesiest shit you’ve said yet, Gallagher.’   
  
    Ian pouted. ‘Only because your _big, strong man_ loves his _little Mickey_ so _much_.’   
  
    Mickey shoved at his chest, storming off and shouting over his shoulder, ‘I’ve fuckin’ told you not to call me that, shithead!’


End file.
